“The Government’s strategy for promotion of its first 100 days in office resulted in oscillating and uncertain results and effects in the media. If, at the beginning of the campaign, the media reflected the optimism and elation manifested by the Prime Minister and his Cabinet, in the days that followed, the media launched the negative, sceptical and pessimistic reactions and comments (by journalists, editors, experts, political figures) about the work done by the Government.
During this period, too, the media were “magnanimous and generous” in their criticism, but “frugal and reserved” in their praise for the functioning of the Government. Although the media criticism lost some of the “edge” it had compared to October 2006, and its was far less strong and fierce, criticism and scepticism nonetheless dominate the coverage of the work of the Government.
All media paid great attention to their coverage and analysis of the moves and actions of the Government in the field of economy.Also, the press didn’t miss the opportunity to criticize the inconsistence and incompatibility of its positions and promises with the daily practice: “on the awarding of public procurement contracts in direct agreements, without proper tender competitions; on its nepotism; on the party domination of administration; on equalling the state with the party; on violations of university autonomy; on its tendencies to file lawsuits against the media and start fights with the media”.
The issue of the so-called “political dialogue” also occupied the media attention. The majority of media conclude that the Government fails at leading the political dialogue in a situation when it needs support of two-thirds of the MPs and Badintaire Majority for almost all reform projects, which the Government, realistically speaking, has not secured. Some media even speculated about “new parliamentary majorities”.
During the period covered by this analysis, the names of certain ministers became synonymous with certain disputable developments. Both ministers with “economic” portfolios were criticized over the practice to award public procurement contracts without proper tender procedure (Trajko Slavevski, the Minister of Finance, was already criticized over his interference in the civil sector in the country, and was now criticized over the Government’s direct agreement with OKTA Refinery to supply crude oil to the power-plant in Negotino. Vera Rafajlovska, the Minister of Economy, was criticized over the same case. However, the media objected the inappropriate behaviour of Minister Rafajlovska in her relations with the media). The media reprimanded the Minister of Justice, Mihajlo Manevski, for the lack of comments on controversial actions by DPA officials (the barrister Numan Limani who, still without proper decision to appoint him State Secretary at the Ministry, visited the “Idrizovo” penitentiary in that capacity, accompanied by Ruzdi Matosi, DPA Member of Parliament). The most delicate challenge was addressed to the Minister of the Interior, Gordana Jankulovska. Simultaneously with the praises for the quick and expedient arrest of Aleksandar Verusevski, the media reported that they would like to see whether Jankulovska will be as efficient in the cases of Agim Krasniqi and Daut Rexhepi – Leka, who are still wanted on official arrest warrants.”
These are some of the findings of the “Media Mirror” report for November 2006. The report intents to present a clear picture of the professional standards and information criteria of the media and the describe manner in which they cover and interpret the key social and political processes and events.
The monitoring includes six daily newspapers and six national TV broadcasters: “Spic”, “Vecer”, “Vreme”, “Dnevnik”, “Untrinski vesnik”, “Fakti”, TV “A1”, TV “Kanal 5”, “MTV 1″, “MTV 2″, TV “Sitel” and TV “Telma”. The selection of the monitored media was conducted on the basis of the evaluation of the influence they have, or could have, on the general public in the Republic of Macedonia.
Media Mirror, November 2006 – PDF version (305KB)
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